Our book excerpt today picks up shortly after our last week’s story ended. If you’ve been following along you know that Kaja recently became a widow and was left penniless by her husband. She is forced to leave the farm she has known as her home for five years and find a new place to live for herself and her daughter, Marty.
Kaja is determined to return to Norway for the daughters she left behind but her financial status does not leave her very many options. Although she is sick of being married and disgusted with men in general, she decides to remarry as a means to get back her children. Christian Johnson has fallen deeply in love with Kaja and she uses his love to her advantage in hopes that her she will be reunited with her daughters in Norway.
Her idea backfires in the most brutal way. After years of silence, Kaja’s oldest daughter, Mary finally sends her mother a letter.
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above Rubies.
Proverbs 31:10
Mooreton, North Dakota 1924
“Kaja, come, come.” Christian’s voice was exuberant. “You have a letter from Norway!”
They had been married for almost two years and Kaja had received only a few letters from Janna, but now, today a letter had come from Mary.
Finally she had forgiven her mother. Finally he would see his Kaja happy again.
Snatching it from his hand, Kaja ripped open the letter.
Christian watched her eyes flood with tears as she read. Unable to speak, she handed him the letter from Mary.
“Momma, It is not out of love that finally I write to you. Ten years ago you left and went to America to begin a new life. I do not understand why you did not come back for us. I said then I would hate you forever. Today I am keeping my promise.
Two weeks ago Janna became very sick. I begged them to listen to her screams of pain, but they said she only had the influenza.
But it was more than that. You see, Momma, our Janna’s appendix burst and poison filled her body. She died in her bed, screaming for someone to help her, crying for the Momma who left her behind. It was too late to help her. Now it is too late for you.
Janna probably never told you that Papa had been writing to us for this past year. Yesterday he came to take me from this awful place. He is very angry that you left Janna here to die in this terrible way. He has a new wife now and by the time you get this letter, I will be living with them. Do not try to find me as I never wish to see you again.
Janna told me you replaced us with another little girl. That is good for you, Momma, because both Janna and I are dead to you now. Maybe someday God will forgive you but I never will.”
Christian put down the letter and gazed at his tiny wife, his own eyes filling with tears. “Little one, this is not right. I feel such pain for you.”
Wailing and pulling at her hair, Kaja fell to her knees.
“I have failed my children. Never will I run my fingers through Janna’s soft blond curls or brush the tears from her cheeks; never will I see my Mary smile, never –never.”
Kaja felt like a blade had sliced through her insides, gutting and spilling all that was left of her. Nausea overcame her and she gagged on her tears.
“Oh God, Momma was right. My sin is so great that I will be cursed forever.”
Christian knelt by her side and took her into his arms. “Kaja, Kaja, will this pain ever stop for you?”
She clutched his arms, her gasping sobs echoing through the room. There was nothing left of her children but tears.
It was a great sadness again for Kaja. Would she ever find peace or would the curse follow her forever.
Next week we begin the story of Marty. She has embraced the curse without even being aware of its presence. You won’t want miss a moment of the story.
Rubies – Escaping the Curse The Beginning is available on Amazon here: